Changeable tumbler for a combination lock



July 14, 1959 R. D.' SMITH CHANGEABLE TUMBLER FOR A COMBINATION LOCK Filed June 19, 1957 2 Shets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. fwagr 0 13/1/77! 1 ,qn'ar/wsy July 14, 1959 R. D; SMITH 2,894,387

CHANGBABLE TUMBLER FOR A COMBINATION LOCK Filed June 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. )fbazgr D SM/r/V United States Patent 0,

CHANGEABLE TUMBLEI:3 I01k A COMBINATION Robert D. Smith, King of Prussia, Pa., assignor to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 19, 1957, Serial No. 666,629 9 Claims. (Cl. ro-azs This invention relates to tumblers for use in combination locks, and more particularly to tumblers of the type adapted for rotation in a fixed axis into a position aligning a gating on each tumbler with a fence. Even more particularly, my invention relates to tumblers of' this class in which the tumbler combination may be readily changed. Thus, it is customary in the art to form tumblers so that the means through which the tumblers are rotated may be moved into different positions relatively to the gatings in the tumblers, thereby changing the tumbler combinations. Still more-particularly the invention relates to tumblers of the class described adapted to be rotated to a release position in either of opposed directions.

In changeable combination tumblers of the prior art,

it is customary to'utitlize a circular tumbler in which the outer peripheral surface is formed with a gating, the tumbler having in addition a lug or other means through which the tumbler may be rotated or may rotate the next tumbler. The tumbler, when adapted for rotation to release position in either of opposed directions, is called a reversible tumbler and carries what is termed a fly. The lug on a preceding tumbler acts against the fly to rotate the tumbler carrying .the fly when the preceding tumbler is rotated..

To make possible the changing of the combination, the fly and lug of present tumblers are carried by a central bearing portion that is separate from the outer portion of the tumbler, and that may be assembled thereto in various positions to change the combination. Those skilled in the art will fully appreciate that while tumblers of the particular class operate quite well, they are difiicult to manufacture in volume with that accuracy that is necessary in modern combination locks that must resist manipulation. This is basically due to the fact that the outer peripheral portion, which must naturally be virtually a perfect circle, is required to be assembled to the central bearing portion, the entire tumbler then being rotatable on an axis extending through the central bearing portion. Since the central bearing portion and the outer circular portion are made separately, it is almost impossible to form the completed tumbler so that the axis of rotation thereof is the exact center of the circle forming the outer periphery of the tumbler.

My invention contributes to the art the concept of a complete tumbler having integral central bearing and outer peripheral portions, thereby insuring the maintenance of the peripheral portion as a perfect circle when rotated about the axis of the central bear-portion. My concept includes further the feature of a fly and lug carrying part readily assembled to the tumbler in any one of a series of spaced positions whereby the fly and lug carrying part may be rotated with the peripheral portion in all combinations to which the tumbler may be set.

As a further feature of my invention, I contribute a fly carrying part to which the fly may be readily assembled without the use of tools or other means, this fly carrying part being itself adapted for assembly to the tumbler in any one of a series of spaced positions so as to change readily the combination of the tumbler.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more imporant features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the tumbler body that I utilize in my preferred combination tumbler construction.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a fly-carrying part that I utilize in my tumbler.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the tumbler fly.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the assembly of the fly to the fly-carrying part.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 1010 in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 shows the assembled tumbler.

Fig. 12 is a cross section on the line 1212 in Fig. 11.

In order that my invention may be readily understood, I shall first describe the tumbler body 10 that I show in Figs. 1 and 2. That tumbler body 10 is in one piece, with an inner portion 11 and an outer peripheral portion 12 that are held in integral relation to one another through radially extending portions 13. The inner portion 11 is formed with a bearing surface 14 on which the tumbler is adapted to rotate in its axis, and the outer portion 12 has the usual gated peripheral surface 15. Because the tumbler body 10 is one piece, it will be a relatively simple matter to form and to maintain the tumbler periphery 15 precisely in concentric relation to the bearing surface 14 on which the tumbler rotates. In my preferred construction, the radial tumbler portions 13 are three in number, and are spaced from one another in the medial plane of the tumbler, as will be readily seen when considering Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Actually, the tumbler body 10 may have a larger or smaller number of the radial portions 13, and it is important here to realize merely that the inner and outer tumbler portions 11, 12, are integral.

Referring again to Fig. 1, I equip the tumbler body 10 with a numbered series of graduations 16, as is usual in tumblers of the particular class. I further form my tumbler with a series of serrations 17 in positions that correspond to the graduations 16. The serrations 17 in the preferred form of my invention extend around the inner periphery of the outer tumbler portion 12, in the spaces between the radially extending portions 13 of the tumbler.

I utilize with the tumbler 'body 10 a fly-carrying part or ring 29, well shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. That part or ring 20 is adapted to be assembled to either side of the tumbler 10, with the part fitting about one end of the inner tumbler portion 11, as may be seen in Fig. 12. On the fly-carrying part or ring 20 I form serrated portions 21 that are so offset as to lie in the spaces between the radially extending tumbler portions 13 of the tumbler when the part is assembled to thetumbler. Those por tions 21 will coact with the tumbler serrations 17 so that the ring 20 and tumbler 10, when assembled, cannot rotate relatively to one another. It will be appreciated, however, that the fly-carrying ring 20 may be assembled in diflerent angular positions relatively to the tumbler 10. The ring 20 may carry an index mark 22 that will enable a person assembling the tumbler to arrange the ring 20 very readily in a desired angular position. It may be observed here that the presence of the radial turnbler po-rtions 13 will not prevent the assembly of the ring 245 in any desired angular position relatively to the tumbler. That is because the serrated portions 21 of the ring not only may be applied in diflerent positions between the radial tumbler portions 13, but, by reversal of the tumbler body 10, can be so applied when ring 20 is assembled to either side of the tumbler.

On the outer periphery of the fly carrying ring 20, I form a bearing surface 23, Figs. 3 and 4, on which is adapted to rotate the circular fly 24 that I show in Figs. and 6. \Nhen the fly 24 is in assembled position on the bearing surface 23, a relatively large slot 25 on the fly will coact with a lug 26 that I prefer to form on one side of one of the serrated portions 21 on the ring. The lug 26, by its position in the slot 25, will enable the fly 24 to drive the tumbler, but will permit a certain rotation of the fly relatively to the tumbler, as is customary in tumblers of the reversible type. On the opposed side of the serrated ring portion 21, I form a further lug 26a through which the tumbler can act to drive the fly on the next tumbler.

To hold the fly 24 in position on the bearing surface 23 of the fly-carrying ring 20, I may form the ring with a series of guide portions or lugs 27, 28, 2h that are adapted to overlie the fly as the fly rests against one side of the ring portions 21. In that construction, 1 form the fly 24 with a further slot 30, best seen in Fig. 5, that will facilitate the assembly of the fly to the fly-carrying ring 20. Then, to assemble the fly 24, one of its sides will first be applied under the guide portion or lug 29, in the position shown in Fig. 7. The lugs 27 and 23 will then be in aligned relation to the slots 25 and 30 on the fly 24. Thus, the fly 24 may very easily move toward assembled position on the bearing surface 23, but will lie against the lug 26 on the fly-carrying ring as shown in Fig. 7, so that the fly 24 will not move fully to assembled position. However, I so construct the fly 24 and fly-carrying ring 20 that they may yield somewhat relatively to one another. I may do this, for example, by utilizing for the fly-carrying ring 20 a plastic material that is somewhat yielding. Then, when the ring and fly are in the position shown in Fig. 7, it will be possible so to press the fly and ring that the guide portion or lug 27 will slip over the upper surface of the fly 24. Naturally, this will enable the fly to rotate to the position shown in Fig. 8. Upon further rotation, the lug 26 will snap into position in the slot 25 as shown in Fig. 9, and the fly 24 and fly-carrying ring 20 will be in fully assembled position, with the fly adapted to rotate freely through a certain angle that is controlled by the position of the lug 26 in the fly slot 25.

From the description that I have already made, it will be understood that the fly 24 and ring 20, when assembled, will in turn be assembled to the tumbler 10, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. That assembly can be effected in any angular position of ring 20 about the tumbler axis, with the ring 20 then looked relatively to the tumbler whereby to determine the position of the fly and the particular tumbler setting. It is exceedingly important to realize that the construction I have described enables me to construct a tumbler than can very readily be adjusted but that does nevertheless have inner and outer portions that are integral with one another. Thus, it is possible through my invention to construct a reversible combination tumbler that will enable the tumbler setting to be changed, while having an outer periphery that will always be in very precise concentric relation to the tumbler bearing. I believe, therefore, that the very considerable value of my invention will be fully appreciated by those persons skilled in the art.

I now claim:

1. A combination tumbler of the class described having an inner bearing portion that is formed with a bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer circular peripheral portion formed integrally and concentrically with said inner bearing portion and having a gating for a fence, portions of the tumbler extending radially in spaced relation to one another between said inner and outer peripheral tumbler portions, a fly for the tumbler, a part carrying said fly and adapted to be assembled to the tumbler in different angular positions whereby to change the angular relation between the fly and the tumbler gating, a portion on said fly carrying part positioned intermediate two of the radially extending portions of the tumbler when said part is assembled, a fly cooperating lug formed on said part in position to coact with the fly of a juxtaposed tumbler, means whereby a tumbler portion coacts with said portion of the fly carrying part to maintain the fly carrying part and its fly cooperating lug in different angular positions in which the part and lug may be assembled relatively to the tumbler, and said part formed with surfaces on which said fly has limited move ment relatively to said fly cooperating lug and said tumbler gating.

2. A combination tumbler of the class described having an inner bearing portion that is formed with a bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer circular peripheral portion formed integrally with said inner bearing portion and surface and having a gating for a fence, portions of the tumbler extending radially in spaced relation to one another between the inner and outer tumbler portions, a fly for the tumbler, a part carrying said fly and adapted to be assembled to the tumbler in different angular positions whereby to change the angular relation between the fly and tumbler gating, a portion on the fly carrying part lying in the space between two of the radially extending portions of the tumbler when the part is assembled to either side of the tumbler, means whereby said portion of the fly carrying part when in said space coacts with a tumbler portion to maintain the fly carrying part in the different angular positions in which it may be assembled to the tumbler, and said fly carrying part formed with surfaces supporting said fly for limited movement relatively to said tumbler gating.

3. A combination tumbler of the class described having an inner bearing portion that is formed with a bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer circular peripheral portion formed integrally with said inner bearing portion and surface and having a gating for a fence, portions of the tumbler extending radially between said inner and outer tumbler portions, a fly for the tumbler, a part carrying said fly and adapted to be assembled to one side of the tumbler in different angular positions whereby to change the angular relation between the fly and tumbler gating, serrated portions on said fly carrying part positioned intermediate the radially extending portions of the tumbler when said part is assembled, a fly cooperating lug formed on said part in position to coact with the fly of a juxtaposed tumbler, and a portion of the tumbler formed with serrations that coact with said serrated portions of the fly carrying part to maintain the part and said lug on the part in the different angular positions in which the part and lug may be assembled relatively to the tumbler.

4. A combination tumbler of the class described having an inner bearing portion that is formed with a bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer circular peripheral portion formed integrally with said inner bearing portion and surface and having a gating for a fence, portions extending radially in spaced relation to one another on the tumbler and leaving openings between said inner and outer tumbler portions, a fly for the tumbler, a part carrying said fly and equipped with a lug that is adapted to coact with a fly on a juxtaposed tumbler, said fly carrying part adapted to be assembled to the tumbler in different angular positions about the tumbler axis whereby to change the angular relation of the fly and lug relatively to the tumbler gating, portions on said fly canying part positioned in the openings intermediate the radially extending portions of the tumbler when said part is assembled, said outer portion of the tumbler formed on its inner periphery with a series of serrations, and said portions on the fly carrying part formed with serrations that coact with said serrations on the outer tumbler portion to maintain the part and its lug in the different angular positions in which they may be assembled relatively to the tumbler.

5. A combination tumbler of the class described having an inner bearing portion that is formed with a bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate, an outer peripheral portion integral with said inner bearing portion and formed with a gating for a fence, a fly for the tumbler, a fly carrying part having a bearing surface on which said fly may rotate relatively to said part, guide means through which said part coacts with said fly to hold said fly in position on the bearing surface of the fly carrying part when the part and fly are assembled to one another, said fly and said fly carrying part formed from material enabling said fly and part to yield relatively to one another incidental to pressure that may be applied between the fly and part whereby said guide means can move to enable said part and fly to be assembled and disassembled relatively to one another, and means for assembling the fly carrying part to a portion of the tumbler whereby to form with said part, fly and tumbler a complete tumbler assembly.

6. A combination tumbler of the class described having an inner bearing portion that is formed with a bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate, an outer peripheral portion integral with said inner bearing portion and formed with a gating for a fence, a fly for the tumbler, a fly carrying part having a bearing surface on which said fly may rotate relatively to said part, a lug on said fly carrying part engaged in a slot in the fly when the fly and part are in assembled relation to one another, a guide portion on said fly carrying part normally overlying said fly to hold the fly assembled to said part with said lug and slot limiting by their engagement the rotating movement of the fly on the bearing surface of the part, said fly and said part formed from material enabling said fly and part to yield relatively to one another to allow said lug to be depressed out of said slot in the fly, said guide portion when so depressed enabling the fly to rotate to a position in which its slot is in aligned relation to said guide portion on the fly carrying part so that said part and fly can be assembled and disassembled relatively to one another, and means for assembling the fly carrying part to a portion of the tumbler whereby to form with said part, fly and tumbler a complete tumbler assembly.

7. A combination tumbler of the class described having a circular bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer peripheral portion formed integrally and concentrically with said bearing surface and having a gating for a fence, a separate fly for the tumbler, a part through which said fly is assembled to the tumbler in different angular positions about the tumbler axis whereby to change the angular relation between said fly and said tumbler gating, a fly cooperating lug formed on said part in position to coact with the fly of a juxtaposed tumbler, and means on said part and tumbler coacting to hold the part in the different angular positions in which it may be assembled. relatively to the tumbler whereby to maintain said fly cooperating lug and said fly each in predetermined angular relation to the tumbler gating.

8. A combination tumbler of the class described having a circular bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer peripheral portion formed integrally and concentrically with said bearing surface and having a gating for a fence, a fly for the tumbler, a part adapted to be assembled to the tumbler in different angular positions about the tumbler axis whereby to change the angular relation between said part and said tumbler gating, means on said part and tumbler coacting to maintain said part in the different angular positions in which it may be assembled relatively to the tumbler, a fly cooperating lug formed on said part in position to coact with the fly of a juxtaposed tumbler, a portion whereby said part when in an assembled position supports said fly relatively to the tumbler, and said portion formed with surfaces on which said fly has limited movement relatively to said lug and said tumbler gating.

9. A combination tumbler of the class described having a circular bearing surface through which the tumbler is mounted to rotate in a predetermined axis, an outer peripheral portion formed integrally and concentrically with said bearing surface and having a gating for a fence, a fly for the tumbler, a part adapted to be assem bled to the tumbler in different angular positions about the tumbler axis whereby to change the angular relation between said part and said tumbler gating, a series of serrations extending about the tumbler axis on a portion of the tumbler, said part formed with means coacting with said serrations to maintain that part in the different angular positions in which it may be assembled relatively to the tumbler, a fly cooperating lug formed on said part in position to coact with the fly of a juxtaposed tumbler, a portion whereby said part when in an assembled position supports said fly relatively to the tumbler, and said portion formed with surfaces on which said fly has limited movement relatively to said tumbler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 489,447 Auerbeck Jan. 10, 1893 1,193,131 Esola Aug. 1, 1916 1,928,853 Doenges Oct. 3, 1933 

